Thornton Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thornton Reservoir |
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The reservoir from the dam
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 Thornton Reservoir
Location in Leicestershire
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| Location | Leicestershire |
| Coordinates | 52°39′50″N 1°18′8″W / 52.66389°N 1.30222°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Carr Brook, Thornton Brook |
| Primary outflows | Rothley Brook |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Surface area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| Water volume | 229×106 imp gal (1,040 ML; 840 acre⋅ft) |
| Shore length1 | 2.45 mi (3.94 km) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Thornton Reservoir is a cool, small lake located in the National Forest. You can find it near the village of Thornton in Leicestershire. It covers about 75 acres (300,000 m2) of water. The path around it is about 2.45 miles (3.94 km) long.
People built this reservoir way back in 1854. Back then, it had its own water cleaning plant. Today, Severn Trent owns the reservoir. The water now travels a few miles away to Cropston Reservoir for cleaning. Two small streams, Carr Brook and Thornton Brook, feed water into the reservoir from the north. Rothley Brook takes water away from the south side.
Contents
What is Thornton Reservoir?
Thornton Reservoir is a special type of lake called a reservoir. Reservoirs are usually man-made. They are built to store water for people to use. This water can be for drinking, farming, or even making electricity.
How it Works
Water flows into the reservoir from small streams. A large wall, called a dam, holds the water back. This creates the big lake. From the reservoir, water can then be sent to places where it is needed.
A Look Back: How it Was Built
Planning for Thornton Reservoir started in 1847. Engineers designed a dam where an old bridge once stood. Carr Brook and Thornton Brook would fill the new lake.
Supplying Water to Leicester
After the dam, the water went into special tanks for filtering. Then, it flowed by gravity to a storage lake in Oadby. Water started flowing from the reservoir in 1853. The very first building to get water from it was Thomas Cook's Temperance Hall.
The reservoir was big enough for Leicester's 58,000 people at the time. It could deliver 1.6 million gallons of water every day. Thornton Reservoir was the main water source for Leicester. This was true until a new reservoir, Bradgate Reservoir, opened in 1871.
Cost and Size
The reservoir was first thought to be 55 acres big. It could hold 229 million gallons of water. Building the reservoir cost around £80,000. That was a lot of money back then!
Fun Things to Do Here
Thornton Reservoir stopped being used for water supply in 1982. But in 1997, it opened to the public! Now, it's a great place for outdoor activities.
Visitor Facilities
There are paths all around the edge of the reservoir. You can go for a walk or a bike ride. The National Cycle Network even runs around it.
You will find a small visitor centre here. Inside, there is a small cafe where you can grab a drink. There is also a bait shop for fishing.
Fishing and Nature
Thornton Reservoir is a popular spot for fishing. It has a game fishery on the west bank. You can even hire boats from 8:30 AM. The most common fish you will find here are trout.
Besides fishing, you can enjoy nature. There is a fun sculpture trail to explore. You can also take a peaceful woodland walk. It's a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors!
